Jan 30, 2012
Company That Did Business With Iran Continues To Fund Congressman Dent’s Campaign
According to new campaign finance reports released yesterday, Congressman Charlie Dent (PA-15) took in another $5,000 from the controversial billionaire conservative Koch Brothers in this most recent quarter of fundraising. A recent Bloomberg investigation revealed that Koch Industries profited from business with Iran, despite U.S. sanctions, and paid bribes to get business in six different countries. Dent’s campaign for Congress had previously benefited from $5,000 from the Koch Brothers.
“It’s clear that nothing will stop Congressman Charlie Dent from keeping campaign cash – not even the news that his donor the Koch Brothers did business with the Iranian regime, known for their sponsorship of terrorism and calls of ‘death to America,’” said Josh Schwerin of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Dent’s campaign for Congress is funded by these controversial conservatives who do business with our enemies. Pennsylvania voters deserve to know if Dent will continue taking campaign contributions from the Kochs.”
Bloomberg reported that “Koch Industries -- in addition to being involved in improper payments [bribes] to win business in Africa, India and the Middle East -- has sold millions of dollars of petrochemical equipment to Iran, a country the U.S. identifies as a sponsor of global terrorism.” While Koch Industries profited in Iran, they have defended taxpayer subsidies for their own Big Oil interests here at home.
Background
Dent Took $10,000 from Extremist Koch Brothers. On December 23, 2011, Koch Industries’ political action committee, Koch PAC, made a contribution of $5,000 to Dent’s campaign – its second such donation. Koch PAC previously made a $5,000 contribution to Dent on April 6, 2011, bringing the total amount to $10,000 for the 2012 cycle. [fec.gov, accessed 1/30/12; fec.gov, accessed 1/30/12]
The Kochs are “America’s richest brothers, and notorious underwriters of the right-wing” and have “spent untold millions on right-wing candidates and causes.” [Forbes, 1/18/11]
Koch Industries Sold Millions Worth of Petrochemical Equipment to Iran. “A Bloomberg Markets investigation has found that Koch Industries -- in addition to being involved in improper payments to win business in Africa, India and the Middle East -- has sold millions of dollars of petrochemical equipment to Iran, a country the U.S. identifies as a sponsor of global terrorism. […] Internal company documents show that the company made those sales through foreign subsidiaries, thwarting a U.S. trade ban.” [Bloomberg, 10/3/11]
Koch Industries Did Business with Iran the Day After Bush Told Congress Iran Supported Terror. In 2011, ABC News reported that Koch Industries did business with Iran the “day after President Bush told Congress in his State of the Union message that Iran continued to be an enemy of the U.S. that ‘represses its people, pursues weapons of mass destruction and supports terror.’” [ABC News, 10/7/11]
Dent Voted Against Stopping American Companies from Doing Business With Iran. On November 3, 2011, Dent voted against a measure “that would have stopped Americans from doing business with any person who directly or indirectly is doing business with Iran.” [HR 2930, Vote #824, 11/3/11; Washington Jewish Week, 11/4/11]
###
Want the latest updates? Follow the DCCC on Facebook and Twitter:
